Herdsmen killings: IPOB declares sit-at-home in 20 states

…As el-Rufai says: The three senators representing Kaduna are useless***

The Indigenous People of Biafra, which was proscribed by the Federal Government, has declared May 30 as sit-at-home day in honour of those killed by herdsmen across the country.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the sit-at-home would be observed in about 20 states.

The states include Kaduna, Benue, Kogi, Plateau and Adamawa.

Others are the states in the South-West where herdsmen have wreaked havoc recently as well as the South-East and the South-South states.

It said, “There will be no human, vehicular or animal movement across Biafraland on May 30, 2018.

“There will be total compliance in Biafraland. Middle Belt and Yorubaland brethren are advised to join this historic sit-at-home to honour the memory of all those who died unjustly in Nigeria.

“Churches, mosques, synagogues and temples are encouraged to open their places of worship at midnight on May 29 for special midnight prayers in remembrance of all those who died as a result of violence. The special vigil will be held at the homes of select Biafran heroes.

“We are calling on all the people of Southern Kaduna, Middle Belt, especially Benue, Adamawa, Kogi, those affected by herdsmen terrorism in Ondo and other states in Yorubaland to join the great family of IPOB in observing a day of solemn prayer and sit-at-home to remember those that lost their lives unlawfully at the hands of Fulani terrorist herdsmen and security agencies.

“We shall also remember all the victims of Fulani herdsmen attacks, Boko Haram violence and those that died at the hands of Nigerian security agencies over the years, who nobody remembers.”

Stating that the sit-at-home coincided with the group’s annual remembrance day initiated worldwide to honour fallen Biafran soldiers, the statement added, “We owe our heroes of the class of 1967-70 an incalculable debt of gratitude and shall honour them annually until the end of time. We shall never forget them.”

In the meantime, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has accused the three senators representing the state of working against a World Bank loan request by the state government, saying they are useless and ignorant.

The governor made the comment on Friday, five weeks after the senators — Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Sulieman Hukunyi (Kaduna North), and Danjuma Leah (Kaduna South) — blocked a $350m loan request by the Kaduna government, according to a report by The Cable.

The state had sought to get the facility from the World Bank but the federal lawmakers said the loan would erode the economic viability of the state.

But el-Rufai, while speaking at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress’ campaign for the local government election in the state at the Kaduna Township Stadium, described the lawmakers as the enemies of democracy.

The governor, who spoke in Hausa, told the thousands of people at the venue that the senators conspired to stop his government from obtaining the loan to build infrastructure and develop the state.

He said, “The senators from the state who worked against the World Bank loan are useless; they came out and said this loan should not be given. What is their reason for rejecting the loan? It is because they are haters of the masses in Kaduna State.

“If a road project is initiated in your town, they don’t want it to be completed. If we start renovating a hospital, they don’t want it to be completed. If five schools are renovated and 10 are remaining, they will not want the remaining 10 to be renovated.

“Today, there are no haters of the masses of Kaduna State like Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi and Danjuma Laah, God will curse them. God will reward their wickedness against the masses, may God never bless them. All members of the House of Representatives from this state, God bless them, may God return them to their seats in 2019.

“Members of our state (House of) Assembly who gave us their cooperation before the World Bank approved the loan to us, may God bless them and may God return them to their seats in 2019. But those ones that are cursed, if they come to Kaduna, shave their heads and beard. They have shown that they are bastards, they have no origin, therefore, it is important to tell them that they did not originate from this state.

“If the time for election comes, answer them with votes, show them that you don’t like them… Let them go back to where they come from. Let them go to the people they are working for to vote for them.

“I want my people to comprehend the simple logic that the three senators representing my state at the Senate are starkly ignorant of the real indices of development and progress in a democratic setting.”

El-Rufai also said his administration had invested considerably in electronic voting because he believed that votes must count during elections.

Maritime First Newspaper is a liberal Nigeria maritime online news aggregator and blog. The site offers news, blogs, and original content that covers maritime, politics, business, entertainment, health and safety, interviews, popular media, and local news.
For Inquires: 08023148914, 08069749755